Methods for cleaning leather sofas, daily care recommendations
Leather furniture is attractive, solid, durable, waterproof. The noble aroma of this natural material is floating in the room where it is located. In conditions of active use, cleaning leather sofas will not be a problem - modern methods and means of care are now widely available to every consumer. They are selected individually depending on the color of the product and the quality of the fabric on which the sofa is fitted. Often used folk methods, effective and inexpensive.
Content
Basic principles for caring for leather goods
Before you start cleaning a leather sofa, it is worth collecting information about it: used upholstery (natural or substitute), type and durability of the dye. For work, you need a vacuum cleaner with various replaceable brushes. It is necessary to process joints and seams with a narrow nozzle for crevices, while the furniture should be in the unfolded state. Then, with a wide brush, dust should be removed from the back, seats, sides of the product. At this stage, the preparation for further cleaning is completed. Then the skin is treated with a mild washing shampoo, stains are removed, the surface is dried, and protective products are applied.
The main principle of caring for a leather sofa is its proper operation. In the room where the furniture will stand, the humidity should be between 60-70%. Excessive dryness will dry the upholstery, which will adversely affect the appearance of the surface.
Do not place the sofa near heat sources. The minimum safe distance is considered to be 100 cm.
You should protect the furniture from sunlight, do not neglect protective covers - they will protect the expensive sofa from dust and dirt. If there are cats or dogs in the house, you should limit their contact with the product. Cleaning companies recommend dry cleaning a leather sofa once a year.
Methods for cleaning the sofa depending on the color of the upholstery
To clean upholstery from a leather fabric, two types of products are used - industrial production and natural. The first type is sold in household chemistry stores, the second is always at hand in the kitchen (glycerin, vinegar, milk, for example). The care of furniture in light and dark colors is different.
White and fair skin
A white leather sofa at home can be easily cleaned using improvised means. Particularly effective:
- Toothpaste - copes with unstable spots, and a brush with a soft pile will help this.
- Heated milk - fresh dirt is easily rubbed off with a cotton sponge moistened in it.
- Egg white - old stains are removed with a mixture of heated milk and soften the upholstery.
- Bow. To quickly wash a white leather sofa, you need to cut it in half and rub the dirt. The spots will disappear without any problems.
- A weak solution of table vinegar copes well with old spots on fair skin.
- Ammonia alcohol. Very effective against stained spots. You need to mix 5-10 drops of the product with 100 g of vinegar and use to clean the upholstery. After processing, the fabric dries, cracks may appear, which should be moistened with polish, special wax or glycerin.
To clean a light leather sofa at home, you can use special professional products - wet wipes, aerosols, balms and foams. They contain active ingredients that qualitatively eliminate stains, refresh, moisturize furniture, do not spoil the appearance of the coating. The most popular and effective remedies today are Vanish, Antipyatin, Unicum.
Colored and dark skin
The process of cleaning colored upholstery has a number of differences and nuances. To color the skin in various shades, manufacturers use dyes, which may be of poor quality. It is necessary to test the surface for resistance, only then determine the method of cleaning.
Common home cleaning methods are alcohol, soap, or conditioner. The first tool should be used carefully, it can leave marks, adversely affect the smoothness and gloss of the product.
Colored upholstery is often cleaned with a mixture of alcohol and water (proportions - 50 g per 1 glass, respectively). A soft rag is moistened in it, then gently wipe the surface, paying attention to dirt. Upon completion of care, it is recommended to wipe the surface with a cotton swab moistened with glycerin to avoid drying out of the material.
It is forbidden to use acetone and vinegar to clean a dark leather sofa - these products corrode the dye.
Professional furniture cleaners are available in a wide range. An excellent cleaner for leather sofa is a special foam for dry care. It helps to eliminate dirt and to protect the surface from getting wet. You can apply it regularly, it does not harm the appearance of the upholstery, refreshes it, protects, and updates the color.
Chlorine-free stain removers are optimal for dark skin. They effectively clean the surface, do not spoil the color of the product. Disinfecting washing sprays are multifunctional - they wash, clean, disinfect. Air conditioners are soft in effect, do not overdry the surface of the product, ideal for sofas with upholstery made of natural material.
Polishes and waxes are intended for care after cleaning, they give smoothness, gloss, elasticity, refresh color - the surface after rubbing glistens and attracts the eye.
How to remove stains
A fresh stain should be removed immediately, without waiting for it to soak into the surface of the product.. To do this, use a damp cloth or a rag soaked in water. Dried dirt is difficult to remove, but if you use simple folk remedies, removing stains on a leather sofa is not difficult. For this, milk, soda, toothpaste, alcohol, ammonia, vinegar and so on are suitable. You can use both professional and store cleaners. How to use them for care, first of all, depends on the nature of the pollution.
Spot |
How to act |
Fat |
Gruel from warmed milk and baking soda will help to wipe the stain on a leather sofa. Effective against fat, a thick solution of water, starch.The resulting mixture is aged on the surface for about 15 minutes, then washed off. A mixture of water, ammonia and soda also helps to get rid of this type of pollution. |
Blood, wine |
Bright blood and wine stains can be removed using a mixture of hydrogen peroxide (2 tsp), ammonia in an amount of 2 tsp, a glass of water. You can prepare an effective remedy from 250 ml of liquid and an ordinary aspirin tablet. It perfectly eliminates stains with saline solution (1 glass of water and a tablespoon of dry matter). |
Coffee, juice, tea |
You can clean the leather sofa from dirt using a concentrated soap solution or gel for dishes. The last agent should not contain chlorine. |
Ink |
Traces of accidentally spilled ink can remove the composition from water (1 cup) and ammonia (1 tsp). They need to saturate the salt and apply it to the pollution, leave to dry. Wipe dry off with a damp cloth. The faster you act, the better the effect. |
Ballpoint pen, felt-tip pen, marker |
Such pollution disappears if you wipe them with cologne, diluted with water, lemon juice. You can walk on the spots with the sticky side of the tape. In a similar way, it is recommended to clean the sofa with white leather upholstery. |
Paint |
If oil paint accidentally gets on the upholstery, only refined gasoline can remove it. Act should be very fast. |
A common problem in the operation of leather sofas is the occurrence of mold and mildew on their surface. The reason for this may be increased humidity in the room. Vinegar solves the problem, with an aqueous solution of which it is necessary to wipe the mold, then wipe everything with a damp cloth, then dry.
After removing the fungus from the sofa, its surface must be impregnated with glycerin to prevent drying of the skin, its subsequent cracking. When removing complex stains, it is important to exercise caution and accuracy in order to avoid damage to the product.
Daily care
A leather sofa requires regular maintenance, which includes monthly cleaning using professional products, as well as simple daily cleaning. If possible, remove dust and stains from the surface as often as possible. Before cleaning a sofa with leather upholstery, it is recommended to test the material for the household chemicals used. To do this, rub the inconspicuous piece of furniture with the detergent composition that will be used regularly. If all is well, you can safely clean the upholstery completely. The simplest sequence of actions:
- Dust removal by vacuum cleaner.
- Wipe the skin with a special wet towel or sponge with washing soap.
- Drain the surface with a dry cloth.
- Lubricating the skin with rags soaked in glycerin to soften the upholstery.
When washing the sofa with a wet rag, you should not rub it strongly in the same place, it is worthwhile to prevent excessive waterlogging of the skin. Be sure to squeeze the cloth away from excess moisture and soapy water. If a spot is found, it is worth paying special attention to it. There are times when the dirt cannot be removed with a simple detergent - then you should resort to special cleaners, or use alternative methods. If nothing helps to cope with pollution, only dry cleaning will help out. However, it will not save if there are old spots on the surface, for example, from paint.
What funds can not be used
Despite the fact that leather furniture is strong enough, it is important to be careful when cleaning it. Strongly do not recommend the following:
- Use aggressive stain remover fluids such as acetone, bleach, alcohol, turpentine, all kinds of solvents. They will damage the surface of the furniture.
- Use hard water to wash the sofa cover. Such manipulations lead to coarsening of the upholstery, the appearance of stains, which will be difficult to remove, and subsequent damage to the product.
- Choose detergents for cleaning leather sofas, use hard brushes, coarse fabrics, sharp objects.
- Dry the surface with any appliances that have heating elements (hair dryers, heaters, fan heaters).
- Use force and excessive pressure on the material when cleaning. All movements should be light, careful.
Leather furniture requires regular thorough care and careful operation.. It is important to clean the sofa at home carefully, without undue effort. Do not leave stains removed for later. In order for the product to retain its original appearance for a long time, it is necessary to regularly carry out preventive care measures, and if necessary, turn to professionals (dry cleaning), do not neglect folk and household means.
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